June 3, 2009

Orioles: Walker hammered again

Jamie Walker came on in the eighth inning and gave up a pair of home runs, and it's got to be getting harder and harder for Andy MacPhail to justify keeping him on the roster, especially while Wilfrido Perez continues to pitch well at Bowie (1.61 ERA in 19 appearances).

He didn't lose the game. The Orioles were down 5-1 when he came in and really weren't getting much done offensively, but if they want to be competitive on a daily basis, they'll need a left-handed specialist who can get left-handed hitters out. Right now, Walker does not appear to be that guy and doesn't look like he's going to suddenly figure things out.

I'm curious to see if the front office considers this an urgent matter.

Walker was very good for the O's in his 1st year, but since that time, he has been awful. He isn't showing any improvement so I find it virtually impossible to believe that he will turn it around. Get Perez, Waters or someone to take his job.

Pete, could you do me a favor and tell Wiggy that this is the American League, games take longer than the National League so feel free to take a pitch from time to time. Thanks.

It would make sense to release Walker once Koji comes off the DL. I find it hard to believe Andy MacPhail would send one of the rookies back down when they have been doing so well.
As hard as it must have been, sending Chris Ray to AAA was the right move. Hopefully they make the right move with Walker.

They probably still owe Walker $ 3 million on this years' contract and it's early June.I guess you eat the money depending on how serious or unserious you are about competing this year.I don't think Perez is as good as his ERA shows and it is AA where he's pitching. They need to trade for a lefty reliever.Castillo hasn't looked bad at Norfolk either but he has "journeyman" stamped on his forehead.

Hey, Walker seems like a stand-up guy but I've seen enough and I'm sure most fans have too. It's time to set him free and eat his contract. We did the same to others like Gibbons, Eaton, Trachsel etc..let the Wilfredo era begin!

Pete,
Srsly what’s this guy got to do to get fired?? I wish I could find a job with even half that kind of job security! I’ve been fired for far less! Enough is enough giving this guy the ball is like giving ABs to Jay Payton when hungry rookies are there to do the task.
Don’t get me wrong Walker is a standup guy when it comes to honoring the military and community work but the team needs to move on.

Well in that case screw the front office. It's high on my list. Starting rotation isn't great but they're starting to get their stuff together. No reason their good efforts should be squandered because our lefty specialist can't get lefties out.

"Urgent matter" as in, getting rid of him while on the west coast, like they did with Perlozzo? Or urgent matter as in, when they get back home the team gives him a handshake and wishes him well in his future endeavors wherever they may be, since they won't include service in an Orioles uniform? As you note, it didn't cost the team the game, but it's too frequent an occurrence that Walker is unable to get out the guys he is specifically on the team to get out. At this point they need someone else in the bullpen, regardless of whether he is lefty or righty.

Walker needs to go. I know that he has a large contract for a relief pitcher, but enough is enough. There are plenty of deserving *younger* players that are a part of the future of the Orioles. Keep the youth movement going and dump Walker. It's too bad too because Walker seems to be a good guy, but ultimately, this is a business and the team needs to see what they have for 2010 and 2011 when we might finally emerge from the doldrums.

If I have to watch Walker give up another homerun this year, I swear I will scream. The man is done, he is getting hammered by lefties. He seems like a nice enough guy but this is about winning and giving the young guys experience for the future. I can handle all of the mistakes made by young players learning as they go in the majors, but watching someone just hold on to a career too long is painful. Cut him loose and wish him luck. Now lets get the last game against the mariners and win another series tonite.

Thanks Peter i am curious as well. Lefty relief seems to be a most obvious weakest link. They ate Gibbons contract, why not Walker when there is an obvious replacement?
Other observations: Two games in a row Riemold has thrown to wrong base. Markakis hasn't pulled the ball w/ authority in quite a while; he needs the day off rather than Scott tonight to get Wiggy into the lineup against another lefty. Pie had another good ab, lets hope he gets some more chances going forward against right handed starters.

Perez is not getting the call-up, I think, because for a while there he was walking one per inning. Irrespective of the ERA, I've heard Gary and Jim say time and time again that guys who don't throw it over aren't going to get called up.

I'd be a bit surprised, though, if we don't see Alberto Castillo again soon. I imagine Perez is in the cards for 2010 as the LOOGY (lefty one out guy).

I just want to see them dump Walker because he's been a class guy and it's really hard to watch him getting murdered out there.

I think we all agree that Jamie Walker is a good guy to have if we're focused on his value as a person. But we also had that with Kevin Millar, who was dying to come back here and had a few good years left. But MacPhail knew that letting Millar go opened ABs for Pie, Reimold, and Montanez and that was more important. Whether it's Castillo, Mickilio, or Perez, we need to get someone in here who will help the the club now and/or in the future. Walker fails in both cases.

And for those who want to rip into Trembley, I'd say he has less control than a lot of managers (like, say, a Tony LaRussa) when it comes to personnel decisions. MacPhail provides the players and, while he can give input, Trembley's responsibility is to play them. In the case of a specialized position like the one-out lefty, you can't hide that person at the end of the bench if the situation calls for it. If MacPhail says that's the guy, then that's the guy. It's up to him to make the switch. And while I love MacPhail, I do stand confused on his logic of staying with Walker...

One last defense of Trembley: the Orioles were trailing by 4 with a struggling offense when Walker came in last night. If there's any time I want Walker pitching, it's when things are looking bleak and there's little to lose.

ERA last year was over 6 and this year over 5. He has a ERA of 9.64 vs lefties. Lefties are batting .458 off of him. He is 105 years old. Please, for the love GOD, tell me why he is still on this team?

I hope that if JW is still with the club when they come home, Trembly has the good sense to keep him on the bench and out of harms way from both the other teams lefty hitters and the fans in the stands

The way Walker has pitched the last two years...especially this season, he makes Steve Kline look like Lefty Grove. Shake his hand, pat him on the back & show him the door...and not the one exiting the bull pen.

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About Peter Schmuck

Peter Schmuck wants you to know that, contrary to popular belief, he is more than just a bon vivant, raconteur and collector of blousy flowered shirts. He is a semi-respected journalist who has covered virtually every sport -- except luge, of course – and tackled issues that transcend the mere games people play. If that isn’t enough to qualify him to provide witty, wide-ranging commentary on the sports world ... and the rest of the world, for that matter ... he is an avid reader of history, biography and the classics, as well as a charming blowhard who pops off on both sports and politics on WBAL Radio. That means you can expect a little of everything in The Schmuck Stops Here, but the major focus will be keeping you up to the minute on Baltimore’s major sports teams and themes, whether it’s throwing up the Orioles lineup the minute it’s announced or updating you on the latest sprained ankle in Owings Mills. Oh, and by the way, that’s Mr. Schmuck to you.